Don't like the color of your state? Red state or blue, there's not much you can do about it now other than move. I say now because the people in power have hashed out and fine tuned the redrawing of congressional districts to such a degree of precision That there is little chance from here on out of the political landscape changing in any meaningful way.
This not only makes it easier for politicians to stay in office it promotes gridlock and elevates partisan uncooperativeness to extreme new levels. It use to be that a politician had to placate the base of his party and lean just enough to the far right/left extremist to secure a primary victory while leaving himself wiggle room to dance back to the center for any chance at all in the general election. Not anymore. Most districts are so heavily skewed toward one party or the other that most general elections pose little risk to the incumbent.
the real threat comes from the candidates own party. They must now be very careful to act only as their party directs them, or there will be a price to pay. If they are perceived as being soft on the opposing party or God forbid be seen as working with the enemy or not voting against anything proposed by them, their masters will back another candidate in the next primary where they will be portrayed as unpatriotic traitors, or worse yet - moderates. This accomplishes what Gingrich could not with his contract with America, forcing Congressmen to vote how the party tells them to without regard for what is best for their own districts or constituents. (Why would anyone vote for someone who only does as he is told? I would want a representative who thinks for themselves.) Absolute gridlock ensues as politicians from both sides flee the negotiating table for fear that their next statement, action, or vote will be their last.
The worse part of this is that it gives unprecedented powers to the political parties and leaving public policy to be decided by a very few unelected officials, robbing the voters of any real power or say about the direction of their futures. The people are rapidly losing what little power they had. This has happened to my state ahem.. North Carolina .. which voted for Obama in '08, but in 2012 went blood red. The republicans now have firm control of both houses and the Governorship, with the Democrats in such a small minority that we now effectively have a one party system with little hope of change. True to Republican form, this week they are expected to vote to cut unemployment benefits. For you coastal residents, it's just a matter of time before those oil derricks go up all over the OBX. That will be a sad day.
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